AISI Comments on the Administration's Section 232 Announcement Today

May 31, 2018

WASHINGTON, DC – Thomas J. Gibson, president and CEO of the American Iron and Steel
Institute, issued the following statement in reaction to the announcement today on Section 232:

“On behalf of the U.S. producers of AISI, we thank the president for his actions to ensure a strong
American steel sector that is fundamental to our national and economic security. The U.S.
producers of AISI fully support the administration’s position that any country that is granted an
exemption from the tariffs must be subject to a quota, in order to safeguard against the exempt
country becoming a conduit for trade diversion, transshipment and import surges. We look
forward to additional details on how the exemption for Australia will further the objectives of
Section 232. The president wants the industry to achieve 80 percent or more capacity utilization
over the long-term. We wholeheartedly agree. We believe the NAFTA discussions should
continue as they can be a basis for ensuring use of more NAFTA steel while achieving the
objectives of the Section 232 remedies.

“The president’s trade actions have already begun putting steel workers back to work in Ohio and
Illinois, and we are grateful for the administration’s commitment to the nearly two million jobs
supported by the domestic steel industry.”

AISI serves as the voice of the North American steel industry in the public policy arena and advances the case for steel in the marketplace as the preferred material of choice. AISI also plays a lead role in the development and application of new steels and steelmaking technology. AISI is comprised of 21 member companies, including integrated and electric furnace steelmakers, and approximately 120 associate members who are suppliers to or customers of the steel industry. For more news about steel and its applications, view AISI's website at www.steel.org. Follow AISI on Facebook or Twitter (@AISISteel).